Wildest Moments in Convention History

Thursday, Jul 21, 2016

Republicans and Democrats will crown their presumptive nominees at back-to-back conventions this month, hoping to unify their parties behind the candidates.
These now made-for-television publicity events were once critical to choosing candidates.
The Constitution’s framers did not envision a system of parties and did not include provisions for how primaries or conventions should be run. For much of the nation’s history, most of the American electorate was excluded from the nominating process and presidential candidates were picked by party elites at sometimes rowdy gatherings. As candidates sought the nomination amid intra-party disputes, heated political disagreements could turn violent.
Modern-day conventions, though less contentious, have had their share of noteworthy moments.